by Eve Langlais
“Oh shit,” muttered Dara. “I can’t believe I led her right to them.”
“We don’t know these drones have the same orders as those other ones. Don’t forget, this one has been lying in a giant puddle for a while.”
“I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Neither did he. Especially since his daughter wasn’t the only thing to vanish. The long hallway suddenly got short as walls appeared, blocking their passage, forcing them into a single direction. As if they were being herded.
Returning the way they’d come became a non-option given the hall sealed itself after their passage.
Like it or not, they were about to meet whoever ran this ship.
“Do you think the captain is alive?” he whispered.
She shook her head. “Doubtful. This citadel has obviously been here awhile.”
“Then who’s commanding it?”
At that query, Dara had no reply. Not the most reassuring thing.
The drone leading them never hesitated, nor did it speak a word. They only realized they’d reached their destination when it once again melted out of sight, somehow merging with the ship, probably hidden compartments that were invisible when sealed.
The door before them was already open, and before he could urge caution, Dara was flying through it, following the sound of Karolyne’s voice.
“Karo!”
Since there was no screaming, he took his time, entering slowly and carefully, glancing all around at the room. Not exactly a bridge, and yet he’d wager they’d just found the heart of the ship.
There was an almost petal-like contraption in the center of the room. A large central hump with pod-like shapes extending out from it.
Approaching, he realized the hump in the middle was a web of crisscrossing wires. Filaments that pulsed white and red. Their shape…
“Almost looks like a body under there,” he remarked.
“Could very well be.”
“What makes you say that?” What exactly did Dara know of this ship?
“Because of this.” She rubbed the dusty glass on one of the extending petals and beckoned him closer.
He held back. Did he really want to see?
Karo had no hesitation. She walked over and placed her hand on the glass. “She looks like you, Mommy.”
His feet moved until he stood over the pod, which held a woman who did resemble Dara with her blonde hair and creamy complexion. Even the shape of her nose and lips was similar. He couldn’t tell if the eyes were, as she was sleeping. Expression calm in repose. Nothing moving.
Not even her chest.
“Fuck me, these are coffins.” He flinched away from the glass.
“I don’t know if I’d call them dead.” Dara peered through the glass. “Could be some kind of stasis.”
“I am not opening them to find out.” With his luck, the body would crumble to dust.
“We found the lost ones.” Karo beamed.
“Oh damn,” Dara muttered.
“Who are the lost ones?” Because it seemed Karo and Dara knew who these sleeping folk might be, whereas he…he wanted to be far away from this ghostly-feeling room.
“If I’m right, we’re looking at Emma. And that…” Dara scrambled over to the other pod for a scrub. “Must be Mikhail.”
Emma and Mikhail, the names seemed vaguely familiar. “Who were they?”
“Legends.”
Chapter 14
Dara chose to give Kobrah the abbreviated version of Emma and Mikhail, the star-crossed lovers who were as famous as they were reviled among the Rhomanii.
They’d played an instrumental role in helping the lost Rhomanii prince find his way home. But the evil Mikhail, coveting his brother’s fiancé, killed him in a jealous fit, stole the queen, and fled before justice could be meted. It was considered the biggest of treacheries, given only the king’s blood could run the special kingdom the Rhomanii called home.
“If I’m right, then these are the two most wanted Rhomanii people in the universe. At least they used to be a few centuries ago.” Because all this had happened in the past.
“Or these could be random strangers,” he said.
“Ship, who are these people?” Dara asked.
Not expecting a reply, he was startled when a machine-like voice, said, “Unable to comply with your request.”
Kobrah stared at the ceiling. “What can you tell us?”
The vessel didn’t speak again.
Dara frowned as she stared at the bodies. “There’s something strange happening here.”
“You think?” The sarcasm flowed thick.
“They are well preserved,” she murmured, running her hands over the glass.
Which begged the question, who had preserved them?
“I wonder if the Rhomanii would still want them,” she mused aloud.
The statement had him eyeing Dara. “You’d sell dead bodies?” His nose wrinkled.
“I’d sell out just about anything and anyone to keep Karo safe.”
“Even me?”
“I doubt they’d want you.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“Would you feel better if I said I’d even sell myself to keep her safe?”
He glanced over at Sprout and finally understood. Understood the need to protect. Understood when she said she’d make the same choice again because he’d do the same.
Now that the ship had shown them its heart, it didn’t seem inclined to keep them prisoner. The doors opened, and Karo announced, “Raffie says our rooms are ready.”
“Where is Raffie?” Dara asked.
“Everywhere, silly.” Karolyne giggled. “He’s inside the ship.”
“You mean Raffie is a computer?” Kobrah asked to clarify.
“Raffie says it’s more complicated than that. And I’m tired.” The lower lip jutted to a formidable distance.
His lips twitched. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to check out the place and sleep on a mattress tonight.” A day spent diving had left his body sore and tired.
With nothing else to do, and the prospect of a bed, they followed the skipping child to a lavish set of rooms. Not a speck of dust anywhere, the bed massive, and everywhere he looked, no signs of life.
It made Karolyne’s squeals of excitement seem that much louder. “Mommy, look! A tub.”
Indeed, there was a large bathing basin that filled with real water. Karo enjoyed splashing in it with bubbles and giggles. For the adults, there were bathing facilities that cleaned the grime of their trip. When he exited, he found his clothes had been mysteriously whisked away and fresh garments had replaced them, the fabric and stitching elaborate, the style very old-fashioned.
“I look like an ancient ruler on Earth,” he grumbled as the tight breeches hugged his parts.
Meanwhile Dara grimaced as she twirled in her multi-layered skirt. “Apparently the ancient Rhomanii ladies didn’t believe in pants.”
Karo had no issue with the soft fabric of her skirted jumper and jiggled in delight when a door off the bedchamber slid open suddenly to reveal a smaller one with a child-sized bed, and atop it—
“A doll!” Karo snatched it tight, and he fought an urge to tear it from her and set it on fire.
What kind of haunted place was this? Giving them every luxury. A payment would be exacted. Surely these things weren’t going to be free.
“Why the scowl?” Dara asked as she returned from tucking in Karolyne.
“Doesn’t this seem too easy and perfect?”
“Yes. But what do you suggest we do? Leave the only viable method of getting off this planet and forging ahead to do what? Live off the land?”
“Feels dangerous.”
“It probably is. Just like out there is dangerous.” She waved a hand. “But at least in here we get some luxuries. And besides, aren’t you the slightest bit curious to see if you can fly this thing?”
He tried to hold it in, but in the end, he grinned. “Maybe a little.
”
“Only a little?” she teased. “Let’s go find the bridge.”
“To do what? We can’t move it until we know it’s safe. Besides, I don’t think we should leave Sprout alone.”
“You and your common sense,” she huffed.
“Excuse me for being responsible.”
“I prefer you when you’re not.”
“I prefer you naked, but I don’t see me getting what I want.”
“Really?” The coy smile was his only warning before her clothes hit the floor. She planted a hand on her hip. “I’m naked. What are you going to do about it?”
Combust? Rather than reply, he cast a glance at the door separating them from Karolyne. “What about our daughter?”
“She’s sleeping.”
“She could walk in.”
Dara sauntered past him to the bathing chamber. She peeked over her bare shoulder. “You coming?”
Fucking right he planned to. He stripped as he followed, barely waiting for the door to shut behind them before he dragged Dara close.
Their lips met in a clash of teeth and already panting breaths. They kissed with passion, hunger. Each of them trying to control the moment.
Fuck that. He knew what he wanted. Her lips parted, and his tongue thrust inside, teasing her mouth, tangling with her tongue. He sucked it, tasted her. Craved more.
When he felt her wobble, he palmed her waist and lifted her. The counter behind provided a perfect spot to perch her.
He inserted himself between her legs, his cock tucked upward and pressing against her moist sex, trapped between their bodies. Her breasts, the tips of them erect, rubbed against his chest.
He slid a hand up her leg, tickling the soft skin. He moved far enough that he could rub between her thighs, cupping her sex, feeling the heat and dampness. He rubbed while she squirmed, and the core of her pulsed against him, demanding satisfaction.
And he’d give it to her when he was damned well ready.
They didn’t speak. They had no need for words when decadent moans and kisses said it all.
The calloused pads of his fingers dragged over her mound that he might lightly stroke the moist shell of her sex. He dipped his digits into her honey and then rubbed her clit. She replied by arching her pelvis, the firm insistent thrust begging for more.
He was happy to oblige. He pinched her nub, and she jerked as she cried out. He squeezed again before thrusting his fingers into her, feeling how her sheath gripped him tight.
Dara let out breathy sounds of pleasure as he worked her. Her hips undulated in time to his strokes. He thrust into her while his thumb rubbed her sensitive nub. She clung to his shoulders as her body tightened. He could feel it, feel the tension on his thrusting fingers.
But he wasn’t about to let her come.
Not alone this time. His fingers slid free that he might replace them with the tip of his hard cock. He probed her, pressing against the mouth of her sex.
She lost patience, and her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him closer, closer, impaling herself on him.
His turn to groan as he sheathed his shaft inside her. All around, her channel squeezed. Fisted him tight. And to the hilt.
A tremor rocked through her and then him as he seated himself fully and then paused.
Just enjoyed the feel of being buried deep.
He couldn’t help the words that slipped past his lips. “I’ve missed you.”
“I—I—” Whatever she would have said was lost in a kiss, a torrid embrace that stole all breath and control.
Forget slow. Forget technique. He ground himself against her and into her. He pounded her sweet flesh. Stretched her. Pummeled her sex and she loved it.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he thrust. Her moans fluttered against his mouth.
And when she came, her climax ripped through her in an undulating wave that fisted him, over and over, drawing his own pleasure until he exploded.
Her fingers gently traced the line of his jaw. “I love you.”
He closed his eyes as he leaned his forehead against hers. Tried to close his heart but it was too late.
He was in love, too.
Chapter 15
They had one week. One glorious week of being the family she’d always wanted. The one she never had.
In the evening, she and Koby spent time with Karo, playing games and watching videos and movies, of which there were plenty digitally stored. Many of them from old Earth.
At night, once Karo went to bed, she and Kobrah fell into each other’s arms. Making up for lost time. Getting in as much pleasure as they could because, though neither of them spoke about it, they knew it couldn’t last.
Their serious moments came in the daytime when they crawled over every foot of the citadel. They’d yet to find anything out of place. Every room they checked, every item was in pristine condition. Every single system working.
The only thing that appeared old about the citadel was the outer hull. And Dara was in no hurry to clean it. First off, there appeared to be a ridiculous amount of barnacle clinging to the hull. Also, thick layers of what tests proved to be skin. Shredded lake-monster skin.
Ugh.
Scraping that was not her idea of a good time. Not to mention the layer over the white hull—white and pearly, she’d discovered, from the small patch she uncovered underneath the vessel—provided camouflage to anyone looking from space.
Hard to hide a hovering white ball. Which was another thing. How it floated above the ground, without emitting any kind of heat or energy, she didn’t understand. It was no surprise to see that, despite the layer of grime, the structure appeared sound.
Thus far, every single test they ran showed a ship in perfect shape. It responded without any problems. The citadel obeyed her every command.
Yes, her. Because the vessel would only respond to Dara. Koby could ask it to do stuff all he liked. Even Karo, despite claiming Raffie was her friend, couldn’t give it orders.
The ship responded only to Dara. And as it turned out, it only replied to her as well. The first time it happened was when Kobrah left her to scout the area outside and she fiddled with the controls in the coffin room.
A voice came out of nowhere and said, “Welcome.”
“Who said that?” Her voice squeaked as her hand fumbled for the dagger at her side.
“I did.” Smug and masculine.
“State your name.”
“Names are for those who care about them. I am past such things.”
“Is this the computer?”
A pause. “Yes.”
Her brow knit. “Are you the one who’s been talking to Karo?”
“Yes.”
So this was the infamous Raffie. Not so imaginary after all.
“I thought you couldn’t talk to me.”
“Not while you wore the amulet, which is why it was removed when you went diving.”
“You’re the one who made me lose it? Where did it go?” Because she felt naked without it.
“It doesn’t matter. You no longer need it. I am yours to command.”
“Command to do what?” she asked with curiosity.
“Anything you desire.”
“What if I desire to leave this planet?”
“Then simply set a destination.”
Could it be so simple? “Why were you haunting my kid?”
“She was the only one capable of hearing.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s in the blood.”
The reference had her asking, “Who are those people in the coffins?”
The masculine timbre changed to a machine-like one. “Unable to comply with your request.”
Convenient. “Do you have any logs of the previous crew?”
No reply.
“Raffie?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the crew?”
More silence. Obviously not in as perfect shape as it seemed, at least when it c
ame to accessing any history of the crew or its previous flights. But everything else operated without a hitch.
Test after test showed it in prime working condition, and running the citadel was as easy as just speaking aloud. Which drove Kobrah a little nuts because no matter how he asked, the ship wouldn’t obey him.
So one day when Koby was out and about with Karo, she asked, “Why won’t you listen to Kobrah?”
Raffie replied, “Because he does not carry the gene.”
“What gene? We’re both human.”
“Only those of the blood can command the ship.”
Before she tackled the blood part, she dealt with the whole commanding thing. “I can’t be the only one you’ll work with. What if something happened to me?”
“Then age protocols would be ignored and your child could then take your place.”
“She’s not even five.” She shook her head. “You can’t do that, Raffie.” The name they’d all taken to calling the ship. The computer for its part didn’t complain or correct them. “You need to listen to Kobrah, too. Especially if I’m not here.”
“Is that an order?”
Odd how the query held a hint of disdain. “Yes. It is, as a matter of fact. You will give Kobrah Jameson, my husband, the same amount of control as me.”
“Done.”
A good thing she managed to fix that because, less than a fortnight later, it happened.
As Dara sat in one of many lounges on board, looking for a new movie to watch that night rather than plot flight plans off the planet, Raffie announced, “Another citadel is approaching.”
It startled her right out of her seat. She hopped to her feet. “Say again, Raffie?”
“There is a citadel approaching. With life forms. Rhomanii, I assume. I could contact them to find out.”
“What? No.” She clapped her hands hard. “We need to hide. Where are Kobrah and Karo?” Last she’d checked, they were out in the wild somewhere, near or far, she didn’t know. Koby took Karo out to teach her skills to live off the land and because he declared children needed fresh air.
“They are deep in the forest. I’ve sent Captain Jameson a communication advising him of the citadel. He is returning.”